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The bright spots on the mound for the team that leads Triple-A baseball in runs scored against it are hard to come by.
When injuries on the big league roster made the Albuquerque Isotopes pitching staff look like a temp agency in late May and most of June, you can understand why so much attention is paid to the team’s hard-hitting position players.
But there are exceptions, even for the Isotopes, where pitchers through the years have not-so-fondly referred to the home yard as "the moon" since there doesn't seem to be much gravity on balls hitters routinely send sailing out of Isotopes Park.
Since his return from the Injured List one month ago, former first-round draft pick Gabriel Hughes has looked every bit the part of a prospect soon to get his first call-up to the majors.
The 24-year-old righty is working on a stretch of 21 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball in five starts — two three-inning starts back near his college stomping grounds at Gonzaga for the High-A Spokane Indians and his last three starts coming for the Topes, where he's pitched 15 2/3 innings of scoreless ball.
His past two starts — both on "the moon" of Rio Grande Credit Union Field — were about as good a pair of consecutive starts as you'll ever see an Albuquerque starter make:
*
June 18: 4 2/3 innings vs. Sugar Land, 1 hit, 0 runs, 6 strikeouts, 3 walks
*
June 25: six innings vs. Salt Lake, 2 hits, 0 runs, 6 strikeouts, 1 walk
Hughes, the No. 10 overall pick of the Rockies out of Gonzaga in 2022, did earn a spot on the MLB squad's 40-man roster out of spring training. But shoulder issues landed him on the IL for most of May (he left an April 29 Isotopes game with the injury). Considering he missed some of 2023 and all of 2024 after Tommy John surgery, the Rockies aren't taking chances.
"It was definitely frustrating, because there was one pitch where it just kind of locked up on me, and I pitched another couple innings, kind of hoping that it would get better, and just didn't," Hughes said earlier this month in the Spokane Spokesman-Review after one of his successful return appearances there.
Since then, however, the No. 19-rated prospect in the Rockies organization according to MLBPipeline.com said he's been thrilled with the attention everyone is giving to his recovery.
"I'm thankful that the medical staff in Triple-A, the medical staff back in Arizona, the trainer (in Spokane) — everyone’s been doing their best to make sure I get back healthy and ready to go."
Trivia time!
*
QUESTION: The Isotopes have one player in franchise history who is in the 30/30 club — 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases. Who is that player and in what season did he accomplish that feat?
*
ANSWER: See below...
Know the foe
The Isotopes wrapped up a well-attended two-week home stand on Sunday and now play a six-game series at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas, from Tuesday through Sunday.
*
Isotopes, Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, 42-39 overall (5th), 3-3 2nd half (t-4th)
*
Round Rock Express, Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, 35-46 overall (9th), 4-2 2nd half (3rd)
PCL Player of the Week
The OF/1B Charlie Condon call-up watch grew more intense over the past week. And on Monday, he was named the PCL Player of the Week.
Charlie Condon Pacific Coast League Player of the Week.
Condon won his first weekly award after belting three homers, driving in nine runs and tallying 10 hits and 24 total bases! pic.twitter.com/rOAwROMVxC
— Albuquerque Isotopes (@ABQTopes) June 29, 2026
In five games played over the past week, the Rockies No. 2 prospect (per MLBPipeline.com) was 10-for-24 (.417) with three homers, two triples, a double and nine RBIs.
Sunday, he posted his second game this season (and just the seventh by an Isotopes player since 2005) of two home runs, four runs scored and five RBIs.
Streakin' Stevens
Until he stops, we'll need to keep updating the insane on-base streak of IF Chad Stevens.
The 27-year-old former 11th-round draft pick is now on a 60-game Triple-A on-base streak — all 50 games he's had a plate appearance this season for the Isotopes (a franchise record) and 10 games from last season when he was with the Salt Lake Bees.
The entire streak (60 games) is the third longest in Triple-A since at least 2005, when comprehensive stat keeping became the norm in the minor leagues. It's the second-longest active streak in affiliated baseball behind Mike Siroka, who has reached in 63-straight contests between High-A Great Lakes and Double-A Tulsa starting on April 9.
Three up, three down
Some things that have been looking good lately for the 'Topes, some not so good.
Looking good:
1.
Albuquerque's 7-5 mark over the past two weeks marked the team's first winning 12-game homestand since July 29-Aug. 10, 2021, when they went 8-4.
2.
SS Nic Kent hit his 10th home run of the season on Sunday, one shy of his career high of 11, hit in 2023 in High-A Spokane.
3.
OF Zac Veen hit a leadoff homer twice in the past four games — Thursday and Sunday — and now has had five leadoff homers for the Isotopes (three last season).
Look away:
1.
The Isotopes were shut out 6-0 on Friday night, the third time this season they've been shut out at home. That's the most they've been shut out at home since 2014 when they had a franchise-worst five.
2.
Over the past 30 days (24 games, 10-14 record), Albuquerque has a PCL-worst 6.95 ERA and allowed 42 home runs — 10 more than any other team.
3.
The Isotopes have been caught stealing 37 times, the most in the PCL (yes, they also lead the league in stolen bases at 128, but 37 outs are 37 outs).
Fast food
Salsa Jar was held without a win last week, but Taco gained just one in the standings as Red Chile (three wins) and Green Chile (two wins) dominated the week.
2026 Season Standings (41 races):
*
14 wins — Salsa Jar
*
11 wins — Red Chile
*
9 wins — Green Chile
*
7 wins — Taco
What are they doing?
Here's a look in at what fun promotions the other guys — this week it's Round Rock — have cooked up when the Isotopes are in town:
*
Wednesday: $1 hot dogs!
*
Thursday: A day after $1 hot dogs, there will be some more literal hot dogs as it's Bark in the Park day.
*
Friday: Hat giveaway and fireworks.
*
Sunday: Free train rides outside the park.
Trivia answer
OF Joc Pederson hit 33 home runs and stole 30 bases in 2014, the same year he was named MVP of the PCL.
He's the only Isotopes player to ever have a 30/30 season and his was the first 30/30 campaign in the PCL since 1934.
Reach Geoff Grammer at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter (X) @GeoffGrammer.
Continue reading...
When injuries on the big league roster made the Albuquerque Isotopes pitching staff look like a temp agency in late May and most of June, you can understand why so much attention is paid to the team’s hard-hitting position players.
But there are exceptions, even for the Isotopes, where pitchers through the years have not-so-fondly referred to the home yard as "the moon" since there doesn't seem to be much gravity on balls hitters routinely send sailing out of Isotopes Park.
Since his return from the Injured List one month ago, former first-round draft pick Gabriel Hughes has looked every bit the part of a prospect soon to get his first call-up to the majors.
The 24-year-old righty is working on a stretch of 21 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball in five starts — two three-inning starts back near his college stomping grounds at Gonzaga for the High-A Spokane Indians and his last three starts coming for the Topes, where he's pitched 15 2/3 innings of scoreless ball.
His past two starts — both on "the moon" of Rio Grande Credit Union Field — were about as good a pair of consecutive starts as you'll ever see an Albuquerque starter make:
*
June 18: 4 2/3 innings vs. Sugar Land, 1 hit, 0 runs, 6 strikeouts, 3 walks
*
June 25: six innings vs. Salt Lake, 2 hits, 0 runs, 6 strikeouts, 1 walk
Hughes, the No. 10 overall pick of the Rockies out of Gonzaga in 2022, did earn a spot on the MLB squad's 40-man roster out of spring training. But shoulder issues landed him on the IL for most of May (he left an April 29 Isotopes game with the injury). Considering he missed some of 2023 and all of 2024 after Tommy John surgery, the Rockies aren't taking chances.
"It was definitely frustrating, because there was one pitch where it just kind of locked up on me, and I pitched another couple innings, kind of hoping that it would get better, and just didn't," Hughes said earlier this month in the Spokane Spokesman-Review after one of his successful return appearances there.
Since then, however, the No. 19-rated prospect in the Rockies organization according to MLBPipeline.com said he's been thrilled with the attention everyone is giving to his recovery.
"I'm thankful that the medical staff in Triple-A, the medical staff back in Arizona, the trainer (in Spokane) — everyone’s been doing their best to make sure I get back healthy and ready to go."
Trivia time!
*
QUESTION: The Isotopes have one player in franchise history who is in the 30/30 club — 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases. Who is that player and in what season did he accomplish that feat?
*
ANSWER: See below...
Know the foe
The Isotopes wrapped up a well-attended two-week home stand on Sunday and now play a six-game series at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas, from Tuesday through Sunday.
*
Isotopes, Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, 42-39 overall (5th), 3-3 2nd half (t-4th)
*
Round Rock Express, Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, 35-46 overall (9th), 4-2 2nd half (3rd)
PCL Player of the Week
The OF/1B Charlie Condon call-up watch grew more intense over the past week. And on Monday, he was named the PCL Player of the Week.
Charlie Condon Pacific Coast League Player of the Week.
Condon won his first weekly award after belting three homers, driving in nine runs and tallying 10 hits and 24 total bases! pic.twitter.com/rOAwROMVxC
— Albuquerque Isotopes (@ABQTopes) June 29, 2026
In five games played over the past week, the Rockies No. 2 prospect (per MLBPipeline.com) was 10-for-24 (.417) with three homers, two triples, a double and nine RBIs.
Sunday, he posted his second game this season (and just the seventh by an Isotopes player since 2005) of two home runs, four runs scored and five RBIs.
Streakin' Stevens
Until he stops, we'll need to keep updating the insane on-base streak of IF Chad Stevens.
The 27-year-old former 11th-round draft pick is now on a 60-game Triple-A on-base streak — all 50 games he's had a plate appearance this season for the Isotopes (a franchise record) and 10 games from last season when he was with the Salt Lake Bees.
The entire streak (60 games) is the third longest in Triple-A since at least 2005, when comprehensive stat keeping became the norm in the minor leagues. It's the second-longest active streak in affiliated baseball behind Mike Siroka, who has reached in 63-straight contests between High-A Great Lakes and Double-A Tulsa starting on April 9.
Three up, three down
Some things that have been looking good lately for the 'Topes, some not so good.
Looking good:
1.
Albuquerque's 7-5 mark over the past two weeks marked the team's first winning 12-game homestand since July 29-Aug. 10, 2021, when they went 8-4.
2.
SS Nic Kent hit his 10th home run of the season on Sunday, one shy of his career high of 11, hit in 2023 in High-A Spokane.
3.
OF Zac Veen hit a leadoff homer twice in the past four games — Thursday and Sunday — and now has had five leadoff homers for the Isotopes (three last season).
Look away:
1.
The Isotopes were shut out 6-0 on Friday night, the third time this season they've been shut out at home. That's the most they've been shut out at home since 2014 when they had a franchise-worst five.
2.
Over the past 30 days (24 games, 10-14 record), Albuquerque has a PCL-worst 6.95 ERA and allowed 42 home runs — 10 more than any other team.
3.
The Isotopes have been caught stealing 37 times, the most in the PCL (yes, they also lead the league in stolen bases at 128, but 37 outs are 37 outs).
Fast food
Salsa Jar was held without a win last week, but Taco gained just one in the standings as Red Chile (three wins) and Green Chile (two wins) dominated the week.
2026 Season Standings (41 races):
*
14 wins — Salsa Jar
*
11 wins — Red Chile
*
9 wins — Green Chile
*
7 wins — Taco
What are they doing?
Here's a look in at what fun promotions the other guys — this week it's Round Rock — have cooked up when the Isotopes are in town:
*
Wednesday: $1 hot dogs!
*
Thursday: A day after $1 hot dogs, there will be some more literal hot dogs as it's Bark in the Park day.
*
Friday: Hat giveaway and fireworks.
*
Sunday: Free train rides outside the park.
Trivia answer
OF Joc Pederson hit 33 home runs and stole 30 bases in 2014, the same year he was named MVP of the PCL.
He's the only Isotopes player to ever have a 30/30 season and his was the first 30/30 campaign in the PCL since 1934.
Reach Geoff Grammer at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter (X) @GeoffGrammer.
Continue reading...
